Each year, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair honors a half dozen publishers with the BOP – Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year. The award, created in collaboration with the Italian Publishers Association and the International Publishers Association in 2013, recognizes the best publishers from six regions worldwide: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and Oceania. This year, a record 1,160 publishers were considered for the prizes, representing 100 countries, according to fair director Elena Pasoli.

The winners for 2026, the 14th edition of the award, were announced on Monday, April 13, at a ceremony at Palazzo Re Enzo, in Bologna’s historic Piazza Maggiore. Lubna Jaffery, Norwegian Minister of Culture and Equality, aptly described the space as “something straight out of a magical children’s book.” Highlighting some of the programming that Norway has organized at the fair as this year’s guest-of-honor country, she said, “The essence of Norwegian literature is freedom, imagination, and boldness.”

The 2026 BOP winners, with citations from the fair, are:

Africa: Saaraba Éditions (Senegal), founded in 2022, it is a subsidiary of the Editis group, the second-largest publishing group in France. The publisher was commended for its “high-quality editorial program rooted locally and aligned with the lived experiences of Senegalese citizens.”

Asia: Bronze Publishing (Japan), a Japanese publishing house based in Tokyo, specializes in illustrated books, including picture books and titles related to art and contemporary visual culture, “with particular attention to graphic quality, visual storytelling, and themes related to everyday life and creative imagination.”

Europe: Éditions La Doux (France), founded by Karine Leclerc and Sophie Chanourdie, publishes children’s, YA, and crossover literature, that spans picture books and comics to novels and poetry. The jury praised its commitment to delivering “immersive, creative and accessible reading experiences for all ages.”

North America: The oldest English-language children’s publisher in Canada, Tundra Books was recognized for its distinguished board books, picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, illustrated nonfiction, and middle grade fiction.

Central, South America, and Caribbean: Lecturita Ediciones (Argentina), an independent Argentine publishing house, was lauded for its “books that spark curiosity, convey joy, stimulate creativity, and invite reflection rather than offer solutions.”

Oceania: Messy Press (New Zealand) is an international children’s publishing studio founded in 2025 by creative partners Erica Harrison and Adam Thompson, known for its “lively and engaging illustrated nonfiction books, gift books, and activity books” for young readers.

The event also included the presentation of the BolognaRagazzi Awards and honorees, given to the best children’s books of the past year, which were announced on March 3 in Milan. Publishers from 73 countries and regions submitted a record 4,120 titles, with Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Rwanda represented for the first time.

The PublisHer Excellence Awards, which celebrate women professionals in publishing from around the world, were presented as well. Founder Bodour Al Qasimi, CEO of Kalimat Publishing Group in the United Arab Emirates, said in her presentation that the awards and the larger PublishHer mission show that “intention, when backed by community, becomes something enduring.”

In addition, a special prize was given by BCBF to PW’s Diane Roback, whom Pasoli called “a remarkable figure” and “a dear friend of the fair,” and whose “editorial leadership has validated children’s literature.” Roback served as longtime SVP and children’s book editor and transitioned in March to the role of editor at large.

The ceremony was followed by the annual party in the palazzo, with prosecco, pasta, and music—a festive finish for a busy first day.